Following alleged unsafe party, fraternity faces lawsuit

A Binghamton University fraternity is facing legal action after accusations of unsafe conditions at a party.

The Pi Zeta chapter of BU-chartered Chi Phi is being sued by Jaslynn Sendon for an incident caused by a bubble machine used at a party last year. According to the lawsuit, Sendon allegedly fell and sustained “severe and permanent personal injuries” at the party because of the “water accumulation and puddling through the use of a bubble machine, causing a slippery and wet condition throughout the interior common areas of the premises.”

The suit, filed in Manhattan federal court, is seeking millions of dollars in damages from the defendants, which includes the fraternity as well as the owners of the house, because according to the lawsuit they “had reasonable cause to anticipate” the slippery conditions.

Ryan Yarosh, director of media and communications for BU, said the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life cannot be held responsible for events held off-campus, but that anything breaching school policy will be investigated.

“Any information gained regarding off-campus events held by fraternities or sororities is checked against the Student Code of Conduct and any violations are handled through the conduct process,” he wrote in an email.

A representative for Chi Phi fraternity, Sendon and owners of the house could not be reached for comment.